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Equestrian championship features wet windup

National equestrian event awarded more than $100,000 in prizes

Heather Morris, riding Charlie Tango, takes her victory lap after being crowned the first-place winner of the intermediate division at the American Eventing Championship at the Colorado Horse Park Sept. 2.

Nick Puckett

Alexa Ehlers of Kentucky, riding Amistoso, smiles as she finishes her final round of show-jumping at the American Eventing Championship at the Colorado Horse Park Sept. 2. The event was hosted by the United States Eventing Association and is the highest level of competition for the sport of eventing in the county.

Nick Puckett

Hailey Weber of California, riding Master Jockey, clears an oxer during her final run in the show-jumping leg of the American Eventing Championship's junior novice division. Weber finished seventh with a score of 34.3.

Nick Puckett

Kim Liddell of Montana, riding Eye of the Storm, in her final run of the show-jumping leg of the American Eventing Championship at the Colorado Horse Park Sept. 2. Liddell finished sixth with a score of 40.6 in the advanced division.

Nick Puckett

Tamra Smith prepares to clear the final oxer of her championship round in the American Eventing Championship at the Colorado Horse Park Sept. 2. Smith's finish in the final leg, show-jumping, helped her clinch first in the AEC and $20,000 in prize money.

Nick Puckett

Tamra Smith, of California, riding Mai Baum, smiles as she clears the final oxer to clinch first place in the advanced division of the American Eventing Championships at the Colorado Horse Park, south of Parker, Sept. 2. Smith won $20,000 in prize money for finishing first.

The American Eventing Championships, hosted by the United States Eventing Association, finished Sept. 2 after four days of equestrian competition at the Colorado Horse Park at the Pinery, south of Parker.

Dark clouds and scattered lightning postponed the third day of competition, when the advanced division was set to start its final round in show-jumping. That night a torrential downpour soaked the park.

To the riders, the rain was a blessing. On the final day, two divisions were set to finish final rounds. The sun shone and with hardly a cloud in the sky, the weather made for near-perfect riding conditions following the rain. The rain softened the dirt in the ring, making for an easier landing and better footing for the horses.

“My hat goes off to the course designers,” rider Tamra Smith said. “I actually told the crew that I would give them a cut of my prize money if I won because they worked really hard. The footing felt phenomenal.”

More than $100,000 in prize money was given away to all levels from first through sixth place at the at the Colorado Horse Park. This was the first year the Colorado Horse Park hosted the AEC's, the nation's highest level of competition for the sport of eventing. More than 150 riders from around the country, from novice to advanced, competed in dressage, cross-country and show-jumping for the chance to be crowned a winner at the AEC.

Smith, with her 12-year-old horse Mai Baum, finished with a score of 28.0, 8.5 points ahead of the next-best finisher in the advanced division. She walked away with $20,000 in prize money and praise for her horse.

“I thought it may monsoon,” Smith said. “But it didn't and she held it together and she is very obedient. We just schooled in there and kept it conservative.”

Jordan Linstedt came in second place behind Smith with a score of 39.5.

“I didn't go out of the start box with the plan to be super competitive,” Linstedt said. “I just went out there to let him run and I never kicked him once around the course. He flowed with it.”

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